Clothing preserved for 40 years helps solve Dallas cold case of woman murdered in her home, police say

Nearly 40 years after Ruby Battee was found murdered in her Dallas home, a fragment of DNA preserved on her clothing has led investigators to a convicted murderer, police said Wednesday.

New evidence linked the 1986 killing to Marvin Lee Holloway, who now faces a capital murder charge, according to the Dallas Police Department.

Battee was murdered and sexually assaulted in her Dallas home on May 27, 1986, after Holloway allegedly forced his way inside.

DNA preserved for decades  

Investigators obtained a warrant and traveled to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Beeville unit on May 13, where they collected Holloway's DNA and interviewed him before securing the charge, police said.

Only a small amount of DNA could be recovered at the time, authorities said, and investigators found little else that could identify a suspect aside from a limited sample on Battee's clothing.

"Unfortunately, due to the limitations of forensic testing in the 1980s, no concrete evidence could be extracted," Dallas police said in a news release. "At least, that was the case until recently."

Breakthrough in forensic testing  

According to Dallas police:

• In January 2025, detectives submitted previously untested evidence – sexual‑assault swabs and a pair of panties recovered at the scene – to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.
• On April 13, 2026, UNT developed a partial male DNA profile and entered it into CODIS.
• On May 5, 2026, CODIS matched the profile to Holloway, who was already incarcerated for the 1988 murder of his co‑worker Emily Proctor. He has remained in TDCJ custody ever since.

Detectives travel to Beeville  

After securing a warrant, Detective Andrea Isom collected a DNA sample from Holloway and, with Detective David Grubbs, traveled to the Beeville unit to interrogate him.

With the new DNA evidence and following the questioning, Isom secured a capital murder warrant for Holloway.

Dallas police chief praises persistence  

In the news release, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux praised detectives' persistence and emphasized that cold‑case justice remains possible.

"The Dallas Police Department houses some of the world's best detectives," Comeaux said. "They are meticulous, patient, and leave no stone unturned when it comes to investigating cold cases – especially ones where hope seems lost. I could not be prouder of my officers' work. I hope this serves as a reminder to victims as well as criminals who believe they have gotten away with their crimes. Justice will come."

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.